EU slams trade 'bullies' as Trump tariffs row deepens

European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom (L) pictured before a meeting with US trade representative and Japan's economy minister at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels on March 10, 2018

European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom (L) pictured before a meeting with US trade representative and Japan's economy minister at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels on March 10, 2018 (AFP Photo/Stephanie LECOCQ)

Brussels (AFP) - The EU on Monday said Europe would not waver against trade "bullies" as a row with US President Donald Trump over controversial steel and aluminium tariffs deepened.

The jab from Brussels came after the US tycoon singled out Europe in the surging trade dispute, threatening to tax German cars if the European Union doesn't lower barriers to US products.

European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said that in some places, trade has been blamed "for the pains of globalisation, or they used it as a scapegoat or they think we can live behind walls and borders".

"Recently we have seen how it is used as a weapon to threaten and intimidate us. But we are not afraid, we will stand up to the bullies," she told a trade conference in Brussels.

Trump in a tweet provoked the Europeans still further on Monday saying Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross would speak with the EU side "about eliminating the large tariffs and barriers they use against the U.S.A."

These were "not fair to our farmers and manufacturers," Trump added, though the EU could not immediately confirm any formal approach by Washington.

- Threat of countermeasures -

The US leader's threats were part of a dispute sparked by his announcement of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, although the "America First" Trump administration has said it will consider exceptions and has already spared Mexico and Canada.

The announcement of duties of 25 percent on imported steel and 10 percent on aluminium has stung the EU, coming as a surprise to US allies and also to many in Washington.

Brussels has pushed back the hardest against Washington's shock measures, loudly announcing a list of US products -- including peanuts and motorcycles -- it could hit with countermeasures.

In revealing those measures, European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker taunted Trump, saying the EU could match "stupid with stupid."